Remembering the man responsible for Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival has grown leaps and bounds, in part thanks to its creator and benefactor, Warren Hellman.

RELATED: Fleet Week and Hardly Strictly take San Francisco by storm

He passed away in 2011.

Hellman was a successful investor and banjo player, who once joked that he founded the festival in 2001 so he could join in with the world's best musicians.

RELATED: PHOTOS: Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival 2017 in San Francisco

Music Programmer Chris Porter and festival Co-Founder Jonathan Nelson both remember Hellman's passion and his goal to give something truly special to the city: a world-class music festival completely free to the public.